A Long Journey

"You appeared here longer than you think."

Gaia showed me five sets of events which I think are timelines.

"These are your memories of each timeline which is residing within each fragment. I am not able to show everything because the fragments you left are much stronger and have the highest celestial essence resistance which hinders me from retrieving nor even locate them from here. But all I can do is tell you the importance of each fragment."

"There are a total of five fragments that you needed to retrieve and you've found only just one. Your memory of the fifth life, Alby's timeline, has already been imbued in an object. You need to find it to remember what happened at that time. The memory in which you retrieve came from the second timeline. It will no longer be forgotten even if you die again."

"The first fragment: I believe it's the hardest one to find because it's been missing since the beginning. There's a possibility that it is buried underneath the earth. This fragment is the most important one because this is where the primordial memories are imbued. All knowledge and truth about your existence amassed in this fragment."

"The second fragment: The memory that resides within it is a three-decade-old memory. It is when you met Euro. This memory holds one of the clues that could help you find my physical body. The clue he shared is the location where I will be found."

"The third fragment holds a memory of the true culprit. It is where you suffered the most because of their desires. It's a memory that will tell you how everything started."

"The fourth fragment: It is the timeline where there is hope. This memory will prove to you that not everyone is the same. That there are always those people who'll help you regardless of who you are. They fight for what is right and help those in need."

"The fifth fragment: You may still remember now what happened in this timeline but if you decide to return, you will lose this memory."

"You need to collect every single fragment to fully restore your memories. That is the only way for you to return to your rightful place and restore the balance. You weren't chosen to be like this because this is the sole purpose of your existence. I gave you my power for you to use and to prevent you from using your Celestial powers. Your Celestial power is incomparable to mine. Please avoid using your primordial powers for it will trigger the reanimation of the corruption that they implanted in you."

"Only use the power I gave for it will not take any effects nor awaken the corruption. The corruption might have managed to awaken itself once but after you died, it returned to the void where the Dark Entity, which you called it, is restraining it."

Gaia knew all of that since the beginning but why didn't she told me this from start?

Why did she lie?

"You know all of that and you didn't tell me? Why did you hide these from me?"

"Because…"

Gaia suddenly collapses. The Tree behind her started to wither slowly. I run towards her and tried to aid her but she is slowly dying.

"What's happening? What is happening to you? Gaia?"

This is the risk she's talking about. Why did she even do something like that just to convince me to return and save her children? How can she sacrifice herself just to save these creatures?

"Don't worry about me."

"How could I not worry? Your dying! Are they really worth risking for your life?"

I really do not understand her.

"I will do anything for my children. Please save them from their demise. Do not worry about me, as long as my essence isn't destroyed, I will return. Just please do not die while I'm still gone because you won't be able to resurrect with memory and reason in tacked. You will lose control and you'll become a mindless being that can destroy all existence. You're still like this all this time because I keep lending you my life essence to fully restore your mind."

"You're really risking your life just to save them?"

She's even using her life essence, the energy that makes us exist, just to save these creatures. She knows what will happen if she used all of her life essences but she continues to use it. Once your life essence is depleted, not even the strongest and the most powerful resurrection spell can bring you back.

"You must find my physical body because it's the only way I can help you without the influence of the corruption."

"With my last essence, I will now send you back!"

"Please be careful now for I will no longer be able to help you once I send you back. I don't know how long will it take for me to fully restore my essence but please wait for me."

"You'll find all kind of help you'll need if you head north."

"Be careful now!"

"Wait…"

With that, I lost my sight of the quiet realm. My vision was all black. My memories of Alby and the Hylos village become blurry.

Am I really gonna forget Alby?

I don't want to forget him.

I want to remember him…

Remember him…

Him…

Remember?

Him?

Who?

Remember who, exactly?

No, I must remember him! I must!

But who is this person I need to remember?

Who?

I felt nothing as my eyes slowly shut on their own. I can't see anything not until light beamed through my eyelids. As I opened my eyes, I saw the bright blue sky. I heard the wind whoosh as the trees rustled.

I'm back.

I rise and discovered that I'm on a mountain. This will be my sixth life.

"You'll find all kind of help you'll need if you head north," I recalled.

But I don't know where the north is.

"Well, you see, the sun, moon, and the stars are already pointing directions. All you need to do is look. They all rise in the east and set in the west. Just by navigating through them, you'll know where to go." I recalled from my second life from Euro.

I followed the sun and I was able to navigate where the north is. As I gaze up to the sky, something shaken up my mind.

"Then, let me be that nobody," a voice whispered.

What was that?

Ugh, it is giving me a headache.

Who is this person?

My memory is all hazy. All I can remember is I was able to retrieve the memory of the second fragment from a cloak but I can't remember how I manage to retrieve it. My memory of the quiet realm is also blurry. I can remember the total number of fragments but nothing more. I remembered that Gaia…

Gaia?

Who's Gaia?

Ugh!

My head!

As far as I could recall, the Glowing Tree showed me something about the fragments but I can't remember anything about it. But I could clearly remember the warning she told me about the corruption. I remember that she wants me to use only her power and avoid using mine. I don't know what this corruption she's talking about.

What exactly did happen to my fifth life and why did it become more difficult for me to do my task?

As the headache dispersed from trying to recall everything that happened in the quiet realm, I took a deep breath and started to head into the unknown.

She did tell me to find her so that she will be able to help…

Wait, does that mean that the quiet realm exists in this physical world?

I already got the clue pointing to where her location might be. I'm truly grateful to Euro for finding it for me. I really hope he escaped and now living a happy life. I wish I could meet him again. I wonder what kind of face he'll make after seeing me. It's been years, he's probably old now. I hope he's okay and made his dream of traveling come true.

As I return my focus on the road ahead, I then heard something from the direction where I'm heading into.

I will now embark on a journey in a world that is far more complex than the one I saw in the past. A world where modern technology is far more superior than any other which is beyond my comprehension. An unknown world that was hidden from me all this time.

Welcome to Youniverse.